45 Restaurants Take Part In Restaurant Weeks
Bermuda Restaurant Weeks begins its fifth anniversary today with the largest enrolment of restaurants in the event’s history. Forty-five eateries will offer three-course meals at reduced prices to dazzle visitors with local cuisine and inspire locals to eat out.
Bermuda’s food culture will be at the core of Restaurant Weeks, running from January 14 to February 5, 2016.
“Bermuda authenticity is a signature in almost everything we do and the culinary community has fully embraced the idea,” said BTA Chief Product & Experiences Officer Pat Philip-Fairn.
“This year 31 restaurants have taken on our challenge to provide Bermuda-inspired dishes in their Restaurants Weeks’ menus – that’s seven more than last year. This bodes well for the island’s food culture identity, which we can then market against to attract visitors, not unlike what you might see in Jamaica or Italy, New Orleans or Paris.”
The number of participating restaurants has grown since last year from 43 to 45. Those accepting the challenge to offer Bermuda-inspired dishes has grown from 24 to 31. Three-course menus are tiered in three price categories — $29, $39 or $49. Prices categories are unchanged.
Back this year is the People’s Choice Award, allowing diners to vote for the restaurant they feel best incorporates local food culture in their menus. Voting will take place online at table.bm. In 2015, Muse was the People’s Choice Award winner.
Muse Executive Chef Enworth Davis said: “The pride we acquired from the people – the people who were in the restaurant paying their money – was better advertising than we ever could have paid for. And for that we’re very grateful.”
New in 2016, mystery reviewers will explore restaurants and post their reviews on local foodie website Bite of Bermuda.
The public is encouraged to share their culinary experiences on social media using #BermudaRW.
Mrs Philip-Fairn said: “In the world of travel, honest and unbiased reviews play a critical role in where travellers decide to spend their money. We hope to organically generate a healthy dose of content from Restaurant Weeks that will help our restaurant partners all year long.”
Karla Lacey, BTA COO said “I’m thrilled to stand-in for my colleague Pat Phillip-Fairn to launch Restaurant Weeks 2016. This is an annual highlight for those of us who enjoy eating out and love local cuisine.
“When Restaurant Weeks begins tomorrow night, it will be the fifth year of the promotion which reliably brings a surge of business for our tourism partners in the restaurant industry. This year is the biggest yet with 45 restaurants in the mix, two more than last year.
“We have newcomers Devil’s Isle and Pompano Beach Club, alongside long-term participants like Beau Rivage and Bone Fish Grill.
“Over the next three weeks diners can fan out across the island to sample three-course menus in three price-tier categories — $29, $39 and $49. We appreciate the commitment of our restaurateurs to keeping to these pricing categories since the inception of this annual promotion.
“We are excited that chefs from 31 of the participating establishments will again offer Bermuda-inspired menus. Having been first challenged to do so last year by the BTA, this local food focus supports our on-going work articulating the island’s food culture story to visitors. You’ll find these meals at restaurants using the ‘onion’ logo.
“Also back this year is the People’s Choice Award, based on diner’s votes for the best locally inspired menu.
“Muse, where we are today, won the Award last year – gathering the most online votes for the incorporation of Bermuda food culture in its dishes.
“After dining out over the next three weeks, we encourage everyone to go to table.bm and vote for their favourites. Our restaurant partners take this process seriously – they know the results of this promotion carries weight with consumers and most certainly affects bottom lines.
“Restaurants Weeks 2016 starts tomorrow and lasts until February 5. Today, our field team will be on the street handing out flyers. It’ll also be promoted through our Visitor Information Centres and by hotel concierges around the island as we welcome up to 900 visitors over the next few days for Bermuda Race Weekend.
“Whether you choose to eat at an old favourite or try out a new spot for the first time, make those reservations!
“With 45 options we’re confident you will find an enjoyable culinary experience.
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Category: All, Entertainment
Great idea but can’t participate in many dining experiences considering I don’t eat fish. Unfortunately consideration was provided with menus available online!!
I don’t eat fish either ..and for some reason that never seemed to be a problem at any of the restaurants we went to last year.